Radiation Shielding Garment Technologies

Potential Commercial Applications: Medical, Nuclear Power Industry, Department of Defense, Homeland Security, First Responders, and others. Keywords: Radiation protection, mitigation, Purpose: NASA JSC seeks like-minded partners to cooperatively develop (Co-develop) radiation protection garments for humans. As NASA ventures from Low Earth Orbit into deep space, radiation concerns for astronauts increase. The military, first responders to nuclear accidents, and medical personnel working in radiation environments, such as proton therapy centers, also have a need for personal lightweight, high mobility, radiation shielding garments that provide some level of radiation protection. Commercially available products, such as radiation shielding vest are very heavy and provide limited protection. The goal is to co-develop lightweight, unobtrusive mobility, radiation shielding materials and technologies for garments. This new partnering opportunity focuses on advancing the concept in design and analysis of new concepts and approaches to understand the benefits/impacts that could eventually lead to potential spaceflight demonstrations. Partners can potentially benefit from NASA's unique capabilities, technology advancements, and expertise. In addition, new Intellectual Property (IP) may be created through a collaboration that would enable the partner to commercialize the technology for other applications such as protective garments for medical personnel and nuclear power plant maintenance and control room personnel. Technology: NASA Unique Facilities: NASA Space Radiation Laboratory - Brookhaven National Lab-https://www.bnl.gov/nsrl/ Goddard Space Flight Center Radiation Effects Facility- http://radhome.gsfc.nasa.gov/radhome/ref/gsfc_ref.html Goddard Space Flight Center Radiation Effects and Analysis Home Page- http://radhome.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Johnson Space Center Space Radiation Analysis Group- http://srag.jsc.nasa.gov/ Johnson Space Center - How we protect astronauts from space radiation- http://srag.jsc.nasa.gov/spaceradiation/how/how.cfm Johnson Space Center - Space Radiation Frequently Asked Questions- http://srag-nt.jsc.nasa.gov/spaceradiation/faq/faq.cfm R&D Status: NASA has tried garments that have built-in water bladders as well as garments that have a series of overlapping radiating tiles or "shingles" made of polyethylene. NASA has also experimented with material layers of hydrogen-enriched fullerenes. To respond to this announcement, please use the Statement of Interest Form, copy and paste link https://nasajsc.secure.force.com/StatementofInterest To view all Co-Development and Partnering Opportunities with the NASA Johnson Space Center please visit our website, copy and paste link http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/partnerships/JSC-Partnership-Gateway